5 Shocking Ways Alejandro Almanza Pereda’s 'Horror Vacui' Series Challenges Art History
The concept of "Horror Vacui"—the fear of empty space—is an ancient artistic principle, but in the hands of Mexican conceptual artist Alejandro Almanza Pereda, it becomes a contemporary, unsettling spectacle. Far from merely filling a canvas, Pereda uses this Latin phrase as a launchpad for a decade-spanning series of sculptures that literally bury traditional art in concrete, challenging notions of value, permanence, and the very nature of art history. As of late December 2025, the series continues to evolve, with new works like *Horror Vacui (Rose)* (2025) cementing the artist's place as a master of physical tension and conceptual weight.
Pereda’s work is a powerful, often humorous, meditation on the relationship between objects, gravity, and our emotional attachment to them. His ongoing exploration of the *Horror Vacui* concept takes found objects—especially idyllic landscape and still life paintings—and subjects them to a surreal, physical transformation, resulting in sculptures that are as beautiful as they are conceptually devastating. The latest pieces continue to push this boundary, making the series one of the most talked-about explorations of materiality and obsolescence in contemporary art.
Alejandro Almanza Pereda: Biography and Artistic Profile
- Full Name: Alejandro Almanza Pereda
- Born: 1977
- Birthplace: Mexico City, Mexico
- Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the University of Texas at El Paso (2005)
- Current Residence: Lives and works between the United States and Mexico City.
- Artistic Style: Conceptual Art, Sculpture, Installation, Video, and Photography. His practice is heavily influenced by Surrealism, focusing on the laws of physics, gravity, and the emotional or cultural weight of everyday materials.
- Key Themes: Physical tension, fragility, security, value, and the appropriation of historical art forms.
- Notable Exhibitions/Fairs: Independent Art Fair, Istanbul Biennial (2017), ChertLüdde, Magnan Metz Gallery.
- Key Series: *Horror Vacui*, Underwater Photography/Video Works.
The Radical Meaning of Horror Vacui in Contemporary Sculpture
The term *Horror Vacui* translates literally to "fear of empty space." Historically, it described the tendency in art, such as in Byzantine mosaics or Baroque ornamentation, to fill every inch of a surface with detail and decoration.
Alejandro Almanza Pereda flips this idea on its head. Instead of filling the *surface* of a painting, he fills the *space around* it, using the brute force of industrial materials like concrete and rebar to encase and crush the delicate beauty of a found painting.
1. Concretizing the Idyllic Landscape
The central gesture of the *Horror Vacui* series involves appropriating paintings—often cheap, mass-produced landscapes or still life works found in flea markets. These paintings typically depict "idyllic and affable" scenes, like snowy vistas or pastoral settings.
Pereda then embeds these scenes within heavy, unrefined blocks of concrete. The concrete acts as a conceptual and physical weight, transforming the painting from a two-dimensional window into a new, three-dimensional sculpture. The picturesque scene is now literally trapped, made "inhospitable" by the industrial material.
2. Challenging Notions of Value and Permanence
By using cheap, found objects and combining them with construction materials, Pereda forces a re-evaluation of artistic value. The work questions what happens to the interpretation of cultural values and changes in taste across time. Is the value in the original hand-crafted object, or in the new, conceptually-charged sculpture?
Pieces like *Horror Vacui (Escena invernal No.1)* (2014) illustrate this perfectly, where a snowy scene is partially obscured by a cement-like structure, suggesting a burial or a geological process. The original painting’s fragility is juxtaposed with the concrete’s permanence, creating a powerful commentary on obsolescence and the art market itself.
The Latest Evolution: Horror Vacui (Rose) and the 2025 Independent Art Fair
The series continues to evolve, demonstrating its relevance in the contemporary art dialogue. The most recent iteration, *Horror Vacui (Rose)* (2025), was presented by the CURRO gallery at the Independent Art Fair.
This new work, created with concrete and oil painting, signals a continued focus on the contrast between the delicate medium of oil and the harsh, utilitarian nature of concrete. The "Rose" in the title suggests a further engagement with the still life tradition—a genre often associated with *vanitas* or *memento mori*—where the beauty of flowers is a reminder of life's fleeting nature.
3. The Role of Gravity and Physical Tension
Pereda’s broader artistic practice is deeply rooted in the exploration of physical tension and the laws of gravity. While the *Horror Vacui* pieces are solid, they often appear unstable or precariously balanced, a hallmark of his sculpture.
This sense of instability, even in a heavy, solid block, creates a psychological tension for the viewer. It highlights the human desire for safety and security, which is often challenged by the artist’s seemingly impossible constructions. The concrete acts as both an anchor and a threat, demonstrating the artist's heightened understanding of the "essence of objects."
4. A Dialogue with Nature and Domination
Beyond art history, the series engages with the universal theme of humankind’s relationship with the natural world. By encapsulating landscape paintings—representations of nature—within man-made industrial concrete, Pereda suggests an attempt to dominate and contain nature.
However, the work simultaneously implies nature's resistance. The power of the original image, even when partially obscured, persists. This dialogue between the organic (represented by the painting) and the inorganic (the concrete) is a recurring motif that extends into his other works, such as his short film focusing on the brick-making process in Magdalena, Jalisco.
5. Conceptual Weight and Topical Authority
Alejandro Almanza Pereda’s *Horror Vacui* series has achieved significant topical authority within the contemporary art world. Its inclusion in major international exhibitions, such as the 15th Istanbul Biennial, underscores its critical relevance.
The series is a multi-layered conceptual project, tying together: Surrealism, the appropriation of found objects, an architectural sensibility, and a profound engagement with Conceptual Art. By continuing to produce new iterations, such as the 2025 work, Pereda ensures the series remains a fresh and powerful commentary on the fragility of culture and the overwhelming weight of history and materiality. The work serves as a stark, physical reminder that even the most beautiful, idyllic representations can be crushed by the fear of emptiness—or, perhaps, the fear of what comes next.
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